A Lily in Time
by ViceVersaRiley
Summary: A 9 year old Lily finds herself wandering the grounds of Hogwarts in 1991, the same year Harry begins school. Dumbledore has the great task of keeping her from harm's reach and her suspicious son. Will he be able to keep the vulnerable girl from Voldemort's Death Eaters? And just how does a certain Slytherin professor feel about this? Good question; he doesn't know.
1. A Green Light

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling does. Also, in England during the summer time, the sun does not go down until about 10 to 11 pm. Lily's meeting with Severus is in the summer I think, or at least, it will be in this fanfiction. You will see why I mentioned this later on.**

 **Title:** _A Lily in Time_

 **Updates:** _Once a month (at least)_

 **Full summary:** _A nine year old Lily finds herself wandering the grounds of Hogwarts in 1991, the same year Harry begins his First year. Dumbledore has the great task of keeping her from harm's reach and her suspicious son. Will he be able to keep the vulnerable girl from Voldemort's Death Eaters? And just how does a certain Slytherin professor feel about this? Good question; he doesn't know._

 **Chapter 1: A Green Light**

The night Lily Evans disappeared was the same night her parents invited Severus to their house. The two adults had heard much about the awkward boy from their daughters and couldn't wait to meet him. Each girl had an entirely different view of the boy.

 _"He's a smelly poor git, I'd say!"_ proclaimed a disgusted and envious Petunia Evans one evening. She lifted her nose up in a superior way, glaring at her little sister who sat across the dinner table. Lily's face turned beet red.

 _"You take that back! He is not! You don't even bother to get to know him!"_ she yelled. This was the fifth time this week that Petunia felt she had the right to mock Lily's newest friend.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans glanced wearily at each other. _'Not this again.'_ they thought.

Petunia scoffed at her sister's words. _"As if! Who would_ want _to get to know him? Have you never seen that big hook hanging from his face? Ew!"_ The older sister then proceeded to make a honking motion with her nose. She chuckled at the cruel joke. Lily, however, was not amused.

 _"Oh, shut your trap Tuney! You're just jealous because me and Sev are the ones who actually possess talent, unlike you."_

Petunia's face twisted into an enraged expression at that. Lily smirked. There it was. The true reason for the green-eyed monster. "Why you little -" started Petunia. She began to reach over the table. Lily remained in her seat, getting ready to fight back if necessary.

Mrs. Evans was appalled at the sudden turn of events. It was amazing how fast a solid relationship between two siblings could be destroyed within a month. The sisters had been so close before. Rarely did Petunia ever threaten to actually harm Lily. What had happened?

 _"Stop it! The both of you! NOW!"_ she yelled.

The sisters jumped back in their seats upon hearing their mother's demanding tone. They reluctantly did as they were told, but continued to give each other the stink eye. Petunia muttered something under her breath. Lily rolled her eyes.

Mrs. Evans huffed. This was becoming ridiculous.

 _"Listen girls. We have already decided that we would like to meet this boy, regardless. Petunia, if you can't behave yourself and act as a reasonable young lady, then you can remain in your bedroom. But don't you dare try to set one foot down those stairs; you will have until 6 o'clock to get something to eat and then you must remain up there until Severus leaves. If you do anything else, you will be grounded for a month. Do I make myself clear?"_

Petunia was stunned at this. Grounded for a month? Over a pathetic freak? She gaped at her mother. Lily almost laughed at how stupid she looked as her eyes bulged from their sockets. _"What?! But that isn't fair! This is my house to-"_

 _"Am I **clear**?" _ Mrs. Evans bellowed. She did not like repeating herself and seldom did she tolerate defiance.

Lily watched as her sister gulped uneasily. _"Y-yes ma'am."_ she murmured in defeat.

Mr. Evans grinned approvingly at his wife. She was never one to be messed with. Once she put her foot down, there was no longer any ifs, ands, or buts. Just do as I say.

Said person cleared her throat. _"Alright then. Since that's settled, Lily..."_ Lily's green eyes met with her mother's. _"Ask your friend if he would like to come to dinner next Friday. Tell him there will be plenty of food and games to play. If he declines, no harm done. We understand. If he needs a ride, we can make arrangements. Do you know where he lives?"_

Lily shook her head. _"No, he's never shown me."_ And she had a sneaking suspicion as to why.

 _"You so do know where he lives! His house is located in that despicable neighborhood near us; Spinner's End."_ Petunia insisted.

Their parents were shocked at this revelation. _"Spinner's End?"_ Mr. Evans repeated. He had never heard good things about that place. Petunia nodded, enthusiastically ceasing any opportunity that could get her parents on her side.

 _"Yes. And what an awful place too! I hear there is so much crime that goes on over there and-"_

 _"Like you know everything Tuney!"_ Lily was not dumb; she knew what Petunia was doing. The other girl would spew out as many horrifying lies as she could as long as she got the attention she felt she deserved. _"I know Sev's parent's aren't-"_

 _"Don't interrupt me FREAK!"_

 _"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"_ The china placed inside the cupboard behind Lily began to rattle. Mrs. Evans was getting ready to intervene again. She didn't want to have to buy another tea set.

 _"WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SO..."_

 _"LILY! I think it's time for the both of you to go to bed. No more talking for the rest of the evening. None. At. All."_ She emphasized that last part.

Lily went to see what her father had to say about this, but he wasn't willing to come to her rescue. He agreed with her mum. _"Goodnight. Love you two."_ he said, gesturing with his head for them to head off to their bedrooms.

 _'Tuney ruins everything.'_ Lily thought begrudgingly. She gulped down the remaining soup in her bowl and stood from her chair. Petunia was ignoring her, picking at a green bean with her fork. The young witch huffed before going to her room.

She spread herself across her bed and gazed out her window.

 _'The stars are shining brightly tonight. They're so beautiful. I can even see the little dipper.'_

She remembered Sev telling her earlier that day how astrology could play a big part in casting certain spells...

 _'Wait.'_

Her eyebrows suddenly furrowed. Right. Sev. How was she going to get him to agree to meet her family? He was already uncomfortable around 'muggles' and worse...what if he saw it as them taking pity on him? It was obvious by his poor clothing and skinny body that he was from a poverty-stricken household. But he didn't seem like the kind to take sympathy, even if it wasn't her family's intentions.

She covered her face with her hands. Oh, what was she going to do?

Fortunately for her, it turned out to be not much.

Severus was surprisingly glad at the thought of spending the night with her family. Besides, Tuney, of course. Not that _that_ was shocking.

She recalled blinking at him in surprise. _"Really? You're okay with coming?"_ She had walked beside him as he struggled to maintain balance on a log. He was wearing a long dark smock and too little shorts at the time. A coat was used in a futile attempt to cover the stains that labeled the smock. She was amazed to see a red spot lingering on the coat's collar. It resembled blood. She had lifted her eyebrows but nonetheless didn't say anything. She had learned long ago not to ask questions about his appearance.

 _"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"_ His expression became more determined as he neared the end of the log. He was almost there.

Lily shrugged, feigning ignorance, which wasn't true. She did know why. Her mind flitted with memories of Sev becoming introverted and distant as other human children gathered to play on the playground, refusing to get too close to them. Whenever somebody asked to be his playmate, he would automatically shut them down. Unless that person was her.

 _"My parents also wanted to know if you needed a ride. They asked for your address."_ This statement seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back. His concentration left him and he faltered, narrowly keeping himself from tumbling on Lily.

 _"A ride won't be necessary."_ he replied, completely avoiding her second sentence.

 _"So you're parents will be dropping you off then?"_ She watched him as he recollected himself, offering a hand out to help him. He didn't take it.

His face grew dark. _"No. Let's just meet here. Would 5 pm be good?"_

She knew that he was aware of her knowledge of him living in Spinner's End, but decided not to press him. If he didn't feel comfortable with them going to his house, then she would respect his privacy.

 _"Sure."_

And that led her to this Friday evening. She was waiting on her parents so they could leave.

Petunia decided to stay in her bedroom despite their mother's obvious disapproval. _"I don't need to be in the company of another freak anyway. One is enough."_ she declared as she pushed past Lily up the stairs. Lily bit down on a retort. This was not the time to argue. She didn't want her parents backing out now.

 _"Don't mind her Lil. I am sure your sister will get over her petty ways soon enough."_ her mother said, her eyes following the retreating form of her eldest daughter. She could be so selfish at times.

 _"Let's hope so."_ came a voice from the front door. A head poked in to see the two females standing in the hallway. It was her father. _"Come. The car is ready."_

It didn't take long for the car to find itself inside the playground's parking lot. After all, the playground was only a fifteen minute walk from the Evans' home.

 _"You go fetch your friend and we'll stay here."_ instructed Mr. Evans. _"Don't be gone for too long now."_

 _"Yes daddy."_

Lily departed from the car and went to her and Sev's spot between the trees. Sure enough, there he was. He was sitting on the ground with a large book in his lap. He was so absorbed in its contents that he failed to notice her presence. _"Sev?"_ Lily stated.

The boy snapped from his thoughts. He smiled at her as if he hadn't seen her in days. _"Lily."_

He started to get up. It was at this moment that Lily realized that he attempted to look more pleasant this evening. He was wearing a black shirt that just reached his hips (quite a nice change for once, since most of his shirts were always way too small or drooped past his knees) and a pair of worn-out khakis. She wondered how long it took him to find such a pair. However, her focus zeroed in on the purplish mark that covered his jaw. It looked somewhat faint, almost as if someone had tried to hide it. She knew it hadn't been there yesterday.

He must have noticed her scrutinizing him, because he suddenly shifted awkwardly on the murky grass. _"What is it?"_ he asked. She knew he didn't want her to mention the bruise.

 _"Nothing. Mum and dad is waiting in the parking lot for us."_

They then walked together towards the car.

When Mr. and Mrs. Evans finally laid eyes on the boy that their daughter had been talking to for the past month, they felt themselves suddenly feeling sorry for the lad. He looked worn beyond his years and even though he tried his best to enhance his appearance, they could easily tell by the stains and rips in his clothing how bad off he was. Mr. Evans' eyes narrowed as he noticed a bruise on the boy's face. Just what had happened to the kid?

He stepped from behind the wheel and went to open the back door. _"Hello Severus. Nice to meet you. We've heard a lot about you from our daughter."_

The two children seemed to blush at this. Severus didn't know what to say in response.

 _"Dad, you're embarrassing him."_ Lily chided.

Mr. Evans chuckled. _"Sorry boy. I didn't mean to. I was just stating a fact. You_ do _talk about him a lot Lily."_

 _"Yes, yes, we all know this Lial. So Severus. You say our little Lily is a witch? You should have seen how incredibly mad she was the day you first you told her that. She acted so rude that we were really beginning to think she was a witch."_ Mrs. Evans winked at Lily.

Severus glanced at his friend apologetically. _"Yes ma'am but I didn't mean it in a bad way. I was so excited to meet someone like me that I didn't take into consideration how she might take it."_

 _"I see. Well, we are certainly glad for all of the input you've been giving her. She's not busting as many things around the house anymore."_

 _"Mum!"_

 _"That's normal Mrs. Evans. Once we are students at Hogwarts, we will learn how to control our natural impulses."_

Lial then decided to pipe in with his own inquiry. _"Hogwarts? Yes, Lily has mentioned that. A school of witchcraft and wizardry she says?"_

Severus nodded. _"Yes sir. Merlin himself even attended it. I can't wait for me and Lily to go."_

Mr. Evans raised an eyebrow. _"We are still uncertain if we want Lily going to Hogwarts."_

Severus felt himself slowly fill with dread. Lily couldn't be with him at Hogwarts? No!

 _"You will **have** to let her go! Otherwise, if she is caught using magic outside of school and underage, she will be taken by the authorities!"_

The Evans were shocked at his sudden outburst. Lily patted him on his hand, trying to calm him down.

Mrs. Evans stared at him through her rear view mirror. She was not oblivious to the greedy way Severus looked at Lily. He must have been seriously deprived of friendship and affection.

 _"We said we were uncertain Severus. Not that we were totally against it."_ Lial concluded. The group remained quiet for the rest of the drive.

When they arrived at the Evans' house, Lily showed Severus to the living room. _"You ever played 'Twister' before?"_ Lily asked as she went through the family's hallway closet.

 _"No."_ Severus said. _"I've never played any muggle games."_

Her eyes widened. _"Not even Monopoly?"_

He blinked at her.

She gasped, shaking her head sadly.

 _"You've been so deprived Sev. You've never seen it at a muggle school?"_

He replied back uneasily. _"I tried attending muggle school once but it didn't go very well. Mum had to take me out."_ The kids had bullied him relentlessly. It didn't help whenever he'd lose control and 'accidentally' hit a student with a textbook either.

Lily was sad at this piece of information. _"Sorry to hear that. I think it's a rather fun place to be."_

She pulled out "Twister" and explained to him the rules of the game.

 _"So you chose this one, Lily?"_ Severus was stunned to see Mrs. Evans hovering over the colorful mat. Mr. Evans was following suit. His parents would have never done such a thing.

 _"Yes. We will have to play Monopoly next. Sev has never played it before."_

 _"Never played it? Now that's truly a shame. Severus, would you like to watch this round in order to see how the game works? Yes? Okay. Lily give him the spinner."_

Lily obeyed her mother and gave it to him before plopping down beside her parents.

 _"Whenever you're ready Sev."_ she said.

He flicked the black dial and the competitive night began.

Severus was rather flexible and could easily bend his way through the "Twister" mat, thus explaining why he won the game three times in a row. He was also quite the strategist and beat Mr. Evans, the best player at the Evans' house, at Battleship. Lily's parents were astounded at the remarkable intelligence and thirst for learning that the boy displayed.

By the time seven o'clock rolled around, the family and their guest were all seated at the dining room table, Severus taking Petunia's seat. It was a big course; there was lamb, mash potatoes and gravy, collared greens, macaroni and cheese, and the most enormous buttery rolls Severus had ever seen in his life. Dessert was a splendid thing too. He had never tasted rocky road ice cream before. It was now his favorite.

Eight o'clock came by much too soon. The Evans packed up inside their car again and headed off towards the park. _"You sure we can't drive you home? It's not a problem for us."_ Mrs. Evans didn't like the idea of the boy walking all alone this late in the evening.

 _"I'm fine ma'am. Thank you though."_

 _"Just call me Patty. We loved having you Severus. Don't hesitate to come by at any time!"_

Severus could feel a warmth spread throughout his being. The feeling of being longed felt nice. The two muggles were so kind. Just like Lily.

 _"Yes Patty."_

The Evans waved at him as he left their car.

Mrs. Evans sighed. _"Too bad Petunia couldn't have joined us tonight. We had so much fun."_

Lily agreed.

As soon as she got home, she took a shower and slipped into her pajamas. She was drained from the day.

She cuddled up to her stuffed animals and nestled deep into her covers. She felt so content. Her parents liked Sev and she was now one more step closer to Hogwarts (and if only she had known just how _true_ this thought was).

She wondered if Tuney would ever get over herself and become her best friend again. They had always been close, but ever since Lily's powers began to increase and she met Sev, their relationship drifted apart. It honestly made Lily feel sad and a little guilty. What if...what if she really was just a freak? If she wasn't a freak, then did that mean she would have kept her sister? Was there anyway to stop being like she was?

She shook her head at that. No. If Petunia really cared for her, she would accept Lily for who she was. A...witch?

Despite the enthusiasm she showed in front of Severus, she was still a little nervous about what she was. What if she failed at everything the magical professors tried to teach her at the school? With the exception of when he was angry, Severus had a pretty firm grasp on his magic and already knew countless of spells. Albeit, some of them were kind of scary. He called them the Dark Arts. He tried not to practice it around her, since he knew it made her uneasy. But every once in a while, he'd get so excited that he just had to show her what he learned.

She grimaced. She hoped the professors wouldn't make her practice dark magic. She wanted to be like Sev, but not in that way.

She was now

slowly

 _beginning_

 _to fall_

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

asleep?

 _ **"NO!"**_

Lily was startled by the shriek that blasted its way into her eardrums. The person sounded so close and... oddly familiar? She suddenly felt like screaming but found that her mouth could not move. She was instantly alarmed. Her arms and legs seemed to be glued to her bed. What on Earth was happening?!

 _"Avada Kedavra!"_

Next thing she knew, she was no longer in her bedroom and all she could see around her was a pierce, achingly, bright green light. An electric shock overtook her being and if she was mobile, she was sure she would have been flopping up and down like a fish out of water.

Voices and noises that she could not recall began to sound through her head.

A baby's crying.

Her...crying?

 _"Lily, take Harry and go!"_ A man? Who was that?

 _"It's such a shame that she had to die like that. So young. So gifted. So pretty. She will be remembered."_ A glimpse of a tombstone?

 _"...filthy mudblood!"_ She could barely make out the rest of the boy's sentence but one question remained in her head; what was a mudblood?

 _"You were always a freak. Now why do you have to go and dump your freak son on my doorstep?"_ Tuney?

All of these questions seemed to spiral around her. More and more voices came.

 _"You're a witch!"_

 _"...if you date me..."_

 _"I've chosen my path, and you've chosen yours."_

 _"Lily. No. No! Not her! LILY!"_ The voice sounded so heartbroken and hysterical. Did she die? Wait. No - she was too young to die! She didn't want to die yet! She was only nine, she just met Sev, and she hadn't even went to Hogwarts yet!

The electricity intensified and a burning sensation coursed down her body. She thought she was melting. The voices were going away only to be replaced by a buzzing noise.

And then! - silence. Everything had stopped.

She wasn't in her room. She was no longer in the face of the green light or the electricity. She was looking up at a dark sky. And she felt chilly.

She suddenly realized she was moving. No. _Descending._ To the ground below, ever so slowly.

She lightly landed on the grass. Mobility came back to her as soon she reached Earth and she immediately sat up. She was near the bank of a river? A lake?

She got on her legs and looked around. Her jaw dropped when she turned to examine the environment behind her. A huge castle stood before her, not appearing surprised at all that she was there. It was very ancient looking.

Her head snapped to the left when she heard children laughing and talking. She needed to find out what was happening. Maybe they could help her?

She went towards the group. She tilted her head in bewilderment at their clothing. They all were wearing long, black robes and pointy hats. How odd.

As she got closer to them, she saw that some of the children were actually much older than she originally thought. Several were teens. She became nervous.

A boy with brown hair noticed her first. He quirked up an eyebrow.

"What is a muggle doing here?" he asked his companions. It made them freeze. One of the male teens rolled his eyes. "Nonsense. No muggle would be able to get here without Dumbledore's knowing. Hey kid." He was now speaking to Lily.

"Why are you not in your robes? Where is your wand and your books? You let Professor McGonagall catch you like that and you will be in detention for weeks."

Professor who?

"Excuse me, would you mind telling me where I am?"

The students blinked at her before bursting out in laughter.

"What do you mean where are you? You're at Hogwarts of course!" the same teen replied. Lily's eyes turned into huge saucers.

 _'W-what? Hogwarts!'_

"Why do you look so surprised?" came a girl. She was holding hands with the male teen. They must have been boyfriend and girlfriend.

"N-nothing." Lily stammered. She had to tread her way carefully from here on out. She felt like she wasn't supposed to be here...

"So I'll ask you again. Where is your wand and your books? Your robes?"

Lily did something she hardly ever liked to do. She lied. "Someone stole them from me. I was walking towards...Hogwarts and I suddenly found myself asleep. When I came to, I was away from the other students and near this bank. All of my belongings were gone and I was wearing...these." She gestured at her pajamas, embarrassed that they were her Minnie Mouse ones.

The teen's eyes narrowed. "They must have hit you with a sleeping spell. I bet you anything that it was one of those slimy Slytherins! They're just as despicable as their head of house! The name is Pete." He stretched out his hand. "Gryffindor here." They briefly shook hands.

"You look a bit young to be attending here. Are you a first year?"

Not knowing what to say, she simply said yes.

"I wish you a good school term. You're rather lucky by the way. The famous Harry Potter will be in your class. You'll get to see him for the next seven years!"

 _'Harry Potter? Who's he? And...don't I recognize that name?'_

"Oh, yes. I am quite lucky."

"Even luckier if you get in Gryffindor." It was the girl again. "Hey, I still have my old robe in my trunk. You want to borrow it? It might be a little big, but it's better than nothing. It has a hood on the back of it, so you can wear that instead of your hat."

Lily gratefully accepted the offer.

Soon a long mass of black clothing was hiding her petite form and red hair.

"I would report your incident. Professor McGonagall might be able to recover your stuff. Sorry to cut this short, but we need to be heading off towards the Great Hall. The Sorting will be commencing soon."

"O-okay!"

She followed the witches and wizards into the big castle.

She gazed in amazement at the pictures on the walls. They- they were moving about and talking to each other!

 _'Wait until Sev sees this!...I wish we could be sharing this experience together.' S_ he became momentarily saddened at this, but quickly overcame it when the older girl took her to a huge room with floating candles.

The room contained four long wooden tables and amazing architecture like none she had ever seen before. Hundreds of students sat at these tables and at the center of the room, a small bunch of students were gathering behind an old woman.

The brown haired kid from outside nudged her in the crowd's direction. "That's where me and you need to be going. We're already late!"

She swiftly went after the boy and found herself as the last student in line. However, she soon learned that it didn't matter, because the students were being called up by name for the sorting. The sorting was done through a hat called the Sorting Hat. He sang a song at the very beginning, a song that went something like this:

 _Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,  
_ _Your top hats sleek and tall,  
_ _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
_ _Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
_ _if you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin  
_ _You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folks use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

Lily thought the song was rather cute, but it made her nerves become even more awry. Would she be in Gryffindor? It seemed attractive enough. She always saw herself as brave. But then again, should she even be in this line?

She listened as children were called to the front.

Her heart suddenly gave way. Wait. No. This wasn't right. They skipped over her name. Evans. They were already at F! Not knowing what to do, Lily stood there dumbly. Perspiration formed along her forehead as more and more names were called. Hermione Granger. Neville Longbottom. Luna Lovegood. Harry Potter (peculiarly, his sorting took much longer than the rest of the students). Ron Weasley. The boy who she had met outside. Now only three more students remained standing, excluding her.

Realizing that this was a terrible idea and knowing that she had to do something, she started to slink away from the other students. Fortunately, the girl in front of her was very tall and Lily was confident the girl's abnormal height would easily conceal her fleeting form.

However, students sitting at the tables were not oblivious to Lily's actions. "Hey, what are you doing?" whispered a boy near her. He looked like he was thirteen. She didn't answer him.

Professor Dumbledore and a few of the professor's at the High Table were not ignorant of her either. Professor Snape had noticed her creeping form when she got in the way of him staring at Harry Potter.

Harry Potter.

The boy who lived.

The one who carried Lily's lovely green eyes, and his father's arrogant face. The son of a man he wished he could hex a thousand times over. The son of a woman he loved all his life.

One could only begin to comprehend Snape's annoyance when he saw the child attempt to sneak away from her peers. It didn't help when she tripped, falling flat on her face, and revealing Minnie Mouse decorated pajama bottoms. He heard his table snickering. Of course, since Severus couldn't see the child's face, he did not realize who it was nor that the person was a girl.

 _'What the hell is that fool doing?'_ he thought as the student tried getting back up, only to trip again. He hoped they weren't in his house. He had enough imbeciles to deal with. Even if they were Slytherin.

Minerva spoke up. She had seen the child too. "Excuse me? Just where do you think you're going?"

Fear consumed Lily. _'Oh, what to do, what to do, WHAT TO DO?!'_ Her brain came up with no sensible conclusion. So she ran.

Snape grunted. "They must be one of yours Minerva. They actually had the audacity to leave." The hall had become silent.

Professor McGonagall grimaced. She went to go fetch for the student, but Dumbledore stopped her. "Allow me to handle the child. This may have been a bit much for them." He apparated away.

* * *

Lily took down the hood of the robe. She was hunched over her knees, gasping for breath. That probably wasn't the best thing to do. Now how was she going to get back home? She hoped they would still permit her to enter the school when she finally turned eleven.

She started towards the bank again. Didn't she see some boats earlier-

"Hello."

Lily fell backwards. A tall man loomed over her. He was very old with a white long beard. He stared at her through his round spectacles with an expression she could not place. His eyebrows narrowed and the atmosphere around them suddenly grew tense.

"Who are you? Where are you from?" he demanded.

She was frightened by his tone, but the authoritative way it sounded held no room for discussion. Besides, maybe he could help her?

"M-my name is Lily Evans. I am from Cokeworth, England."

"How did you get here?"

The answers only seemed to tumble out.

"I don't know. I was in my bedroom, about to fall asleep, when a strange light flooded my vision and I heard all sorts of weird voices in my head. Then I was here."

He stroked his beard, appearing thoughtful at her words. "How old are you? Do you know where you are at?" He was speaking more softly this time.

"I turned nine in January. I am at Hogwarts, the school of witchcraft and wizardry."

"And how do you know of this place?" he continued.

"I have a friend named Sev - Severus. He told me about it. Said I was a wi-"

"Severus?" he abruptly cut her off. "Severus who?"

She racked her brain for his last name. Did he ever tell her?

"I...I'm not sure."

"Hm..."

The old man pondered for a moment. She waited anxiously for him to soak up all that she had said. She knew she must have sounded crazy. Maybe he would send her to the loony bin.

To her disbelief and relief, he simply smiled at her warmly. He suddenly looked like a gentle grandfather rather than an interrogative headmaster.

"We are glad to have you here Lily. My name is Albus Dumbledore. I am the headmaster of Hogwarts. I assume you are wanting to go home?"

Lily nodded her head earnestly.

"Good. So do I. I believe an ancient magic sent you here, one that I am unfortunately, not quite familiar with."

Her brightened face dampened at that.

Seeing this, he quickly added, "But don't worry. We will return you to your time as soon as possible."

"Oh."

She tried to think of something else to keep her mind off what she had just been told.

"Does this mean I will be getting Sorted now?" she finally asked.

Dumbledore frowned inwardly at this. _'No. She can't be near Harry. I will have to find a place suitable for her that won't risk the timelines but also won't put her in danger.'_

"Not yet. You will be coming with me to my office. We have much to discuss."

"Yes sir."

And they started travelling through the castle to their destination. At one point, Lily swore that she had passed by a calendar that read September 1991. That was quite silly. If it was 1991, then she would be 31 years old!

 _ **End of chapter 1: A Green Light**_

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews are much appreciated. It encourages me to update faster and I will individually respond to comments. This is my first Harry Potter fanfiction. I am sorry if there are any canon errors. I am not allowed to read the books or watch the movies in my house, so the only times I can do in depth research (aka read or watch the series myself) is when I am elsewhere, which is hardly ever. Therefore, a lot of this is based on my memory of watching all of the movies, reading two of the books, and whatever I have read on google or other fanfictions. However, some of it IS changed to fit this story line. If you are concerned with a canon error, please notify me in the comments and I will try to fix it. Also, let me know if you appreciate the long chapters. If you don't, I can split up the content into several chapters. If you like it, I can try to add more. Good bye.**


	2. Dumbledore's Inquiry

**A/N: I deeply apologize for my late update. Schoolwork and life caught up with me quick and it became hard for me to write on anything. However, you can be rest assured that another chapter will be updated within the next two weeks; this one makes up for November, and the other will be December's update. January will be coming along as well! I appreciated the reviews so much! I wasn't expecting so much positive feedback and favorites/follows! It really encourages me! As I have previously mentioned, I will personally reply to any comments as long as I can reach you through the site! Since several people said they liked the length, I will try to make the chapters as lengthy as possible! I am also proud to announce that I have a Beta joining me! Her name is Rainbowspring. :) Lastly, for those who started this fanfiction when it was originally released, you might want to go back and reread the first chapter. I made slight changes to it. Thanks! P.S. By football, I mean, European football, not American.**

 **Title:** _A Lily in Time_

 **Updates:** _Once a month_

 **Chapter 2: Dumbledore's Inquiry**

Lily followed the old man into a finely lit corridor where a tall bronze gargoyle stood. Its mighty appearance astonished Lily and she gawked at its elaborately detailed feathers. It was the hugest statue of a bird she had ever seen in her life. Dumbledore stopped as they reached the pointy beak of the eagle. She heard him murmur the word "butterbeer". She narrowed her eyes at this. ' _Mr. Dumbledore sure doesn't seem like the type to be drinking alcoholic beverages.'_ Her mother always said beer was bad for good girls and boys, including grown up ones. She said it made them very sick and do wicked things. Lily couldn't fathom why such a horrid drink would therefore be permitted on campus.

Her musings were interrupted as the gargoyle slid from view and revealed a circular, stone staircase. Just like the other ones they rode, this staircase was mobile.

They continued their journey up the stairs until they reached an enormous room filled with the most entertaining of things. Moving pictures containing only who Lily could assume to be previous headmasters littered the walls. A particular painting featuring a heavyset woman stared at Lily, causing the latter to blush. Unknown silver instruments sitting upon spindle - legged tables released little puffs of smoke. One puff went off near Lily's face and she coughed in response. A similar thing happened to Albus, but he didn't seem bothered by it; he merely waved the smoke away from his face. There was a massive brown desk in the center of the room as well cluttered with quills and rolls of parchment. Beyond it was a shelf where the adorable hat from earlier sat– the Sorting Hat, she believed they called it.

Dumbledore followed her gaze and cleared his throat upon realizing the object gaining her attention. "Please, come sit." he insisted. With a flick of his wand, the mess on his desk disappeared and in its place was a tea set. Lily awkwardly approached the desk and, having no where to sit, began to settle for the floor, when a chair suddenly cushioned itself beneath her bottom. She let out an "Umph!" at the unexpected contact.

Dumbledore chuckled. "I hope you will pardon the furniture. They can sometimes come off as a bit too hospitable." He handed her a teacup. "Milk or sugar to go with your tea?"

"Two cubes of sugar please."

He nodded his head. "And would you like to try any of my Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? I reckon you haven't had any due to your current predicament. I do not believe they are made where you are from. I must say, the Green Apple has a truly acceptable taste." He pushed the bowl of beans towards her and she timidly reached for a dark green and white one. Her face quickly turned sour after popping it into her mouth. She hastily snatched for a napkin and spat it out.

She licked her lips. "Yuck! It tasted like a rotten egg!"

She was not amused by the way the Headmaster's skin seemed to crinkle around his eyes. "I am afraid you had the misfortune of selecting the Rotten Egg jellybean my dear girl. I advise you take that red one on the left there." He gestured to the one he was referring to but Lily politely declined. She really didn't want to risk vomiting on the Headmaster, especially not if he was her only hope in returning home. She took a sip of her tea.

"Well," he began, resuming a serious expression. He folded his hands together. His eyes were now trained solely on her, something which did little to settle Lily's anxious belly. "You mentioned a strange light and voices? Was that all that took place before you arrived here?"

She shook her head, choosing to look at her teacup in an attempt to avoid his deep stare. "No sir. There was this sharp, hot pain that was also radiating all throughout my body. It felt like I was being electrocuted. That was when the voices I never heard before began speaking in my head. Well, at least I think they were only in my head. They sounded pretty real and close."

"Were these voices speaking directly to you?"

"Some of them were, some of them weren't. But..." She paused. Her lips pressed into a thin hard line and she subconsciously tapped a finger on the side of her cup. "...But the way they talked made it seem like something horrible had happened."

The professor's eyebrows rose at this. "And what was this horrible thing, Lily?"

He took notice with mild unease of the worried look she was sporting. Confusion soon replaced this worried expression though, and he too began to feel wondrous. _'What a swift change in emotions...'_ he thought.

"I...wait." Her puzzlement increased. She appeared to be having an inner battle with herself. "This is going to sound really weird sir, but I can't remember anymore. I - I just had it! I can still feel it at the back of my head too, but I just...ugh." She groaned. She placed her head in her hands and shook her head in bewilderment. _'Come on! Think Lily, think! Why can't you remember?'_

"Hm..." Dumbledore began to contemplate for a moment. "Do not be alarmed by what I am about to do, Lily. I mean you no harm in my actions."

She started to say something back when she abruptly experienced the eeriest sensation of something moving along her mind. No, not something _. Someone._ She inhaled sharply and tightened her grip on the armchair. She felt bare. Naked. Exposed. Her brain was suddenly being stripped. Different scenes began to play behind her eyes. Her in this chair. Her seeing Hogwart's for the first time. Blackness. The last meal she had with her family, including Severus. Another prod at the blackness. A peek at her and Tuney's fight. Back to the blackness. Blackness, blackness, blackness, blackness-

"How peculiar." The old man withdrew from her brain and she let out a sigh she hadn't realized she'd been holding. He patted her on the hand. "Sorry about that child. I wanted to take a look myself. But it seems I too am being blocked from the memory. However, I believe there is another solution."

He stood up from his chair and walked over to a table beside the far wall. On it was a metal dish decorated with fine carvings and beautiful gem stones. Seeing her amazed stare, Dumbledore said "This is a Pensieve, my dear. Not many people have had the chance to witness one in their life time. Only the most powerful and advanced witches and wizards have been able to obtain one. It grants a person the ability to review memories."

He took out his wand and gestured for her. She timidly obliged and moved to stand next to him. She flinched away, however, when she realized he planned to connect her left temple with the tip of his wand. He faintly smiled. "Do not be afraid Lily. I will never let any harm come to you. I swear that on my life." He reached for her again and to his astonishment, she wrapped her fingers around the body of his wand. "S-sorry." she sputtered. "It just makes me feel safer if I touch it myself."

She embraced herself for his reprimand, but it never came. "That is quite fine Lily. I do admire your bravery. Not many people would dare to touch Albus Dumbledore's wand, especially not in his grasp."

She gulped and put on a determined face. She let go of the wand. "I am ready." she declared. She no longer wanted to be scared of magic.

He nodded and continued his task. Lily's eyes trailed the white, ghostly light that emitted from her temple as Dumbledore retrieved it to place it inside the Pensieve. "Please make yourself at home. This shouldn't be long." he murmured. And with one final glance at Lily, he dipped his head into the dish.

Lily shifted her eyes around the room. Now what was she to do?

* * *

 _Albus traveled along the swirls of memories in search of the one he most sought. Trivial past events he did not care for kept appearing here and there, and every time he would brush them away. There were heated arguments between Lily and her sister, crushes on nameless boys, visits from muggle family members. Episodes of accidental use of magic, primarily when there were bursts of anger or some other heightened emotion._

 _All of these matters he tried his best to ignore on behalf of Lily's privacy and to avoid distraction from his goal. There was, however, one memory he did pause at, albeit for a small amount of time. Something he would consider for further inspection later._

 _A young Severus was laying on the ground beneath an old willow. Beside him laid Lily. They were both gazing up at the sky. He knew of his younger ally's bleak childhood, but witnessing it more up close and personal through the perspective of his best friend made Albus feel somewhat perturbed. Based on Lily's account, Severus did not smell pleasant; in fact, it was just the opposite. He held a malodorous odor that was reminiscent of mold and sweat._

 _He didn't look very washed either. He was a scrawny child, and his black ill-fitted clothes and long greasy hair made him resemble a bat. Dumbledore recalled the nickname the Maurauders had given him; Snivellus. He supposed it was in regards to his grotesque appearance. Severus was never viewed as an appealing man and his disregard for the "fancy of looks alone" was infamously known. Yet Albus always remembered him having good personal hygiene. He certainly never had anything negative to say about Snape's image in the past. Or had he just not been looking hard enough?_ _Nonetheless, this boy's awful appearance was obviously due to the neglect by his parents._

 _A scar labeled the curve of his jaw. It wasn't quite fresh, but Dumbledore knew he had never seen the scar in his life. Severus had to have hid it well before attending Hogwarts._

 _The nine year old future double agent suddenly turned his way, as if sensing his scrutiny. Albus stared back. The boy blinked for a second before resuming his attention to the girl beside him. Lily was humming a tune and swirling a cloud of daises above them. A small smile played at the corner of her lips. She selected a little flower and made it fly towards a tall one until the two were side by side. The two daises then began to circle around one another before slowly stopping and bumping into each other. It was supposed to represent a kiss. She giggled._

 _Albus noticed with benign curiosity that the taller of the two was uglier compared to all of the other daises. And the tinier one was the most attractive._

 _Snape gazed long fully at the girl. Without even reading his mind, Albus knew what he was thinking; that the girl in front of him was the most beautiful sight in the whole world. More beautiful and enchanting than any of these tiny flowers she was so mesmerized by._

 _The boy averted his eyes however when Lily unexpectedly looked back at him and smiled. His cheeks turned a dark shade of pink. Albus chuckled at the boy's embarrassment. This was a person much different from the Severus he knew. It was someone who was buried under all of the coldness and bleakness of the strict, young man._

 _Dumbledore felt Lily's emotions change from gleefulness and content to worry and sympathy in the memory. She went to touch Severus's scar but he pulled away. A brief flash of hurt crossed her features but she swiftly masked it._ 'I don't want him to hide from me again.' _she thought._

 _"Is everything going okay at your house?" she gently asked._

 _He shrugged. She bit down a sigh. She hated it when he shut her out. She didn't want him to have to handle the hurt alone. She wanted him to know that she was there for him. '_ But...perhaps it is too soon. We've only known each other for a few weeks anyway. I am probably going too fast for Sev. He needs time to heal and open up. I need to remember that.'

 _Albus could feel tears forming in his eyes. Part of it was because of this kindhearted girl he missed so much. The other part was because of the great loss Severus experienced the day he yelled that ugly word. Lily hadn't seen Severus as other children did. He wasn't some pathetic, grumpy, waste to be ignored and repulsed by. She saw him as a boy who carried much talent, endurance, and a thirst for knowledge; three things she admired and she herself shot for. No, Lily did not hate young Severus, not in the slightest. He was a cherished friend._

 _Seeing them like this, as two companions who were stuck like glue - despite them only knowing each for a short time - made Albus all the more sympathetic towards Severus and his cause. He wondered just what could have made Snape betray Lily's trust as he had. Had the Dark Arts truly been that precious to him?_

 _Albus shook his head at that and grimaced._

 _He watched as the boy and girl finally arose from the ground. "It's becoming late. I must go home now." Lily said, although reluctantly. They stared at each other for a while, neither knowing what to say to the other. Severus began to fiddle with the end of his shirt. He tore his eyes from Lily and kicked at a tuft of grass awkwardly. "I wish you didn't have to go." he mumbled under his breath. But Lily didn't hear it._

 _They then walked away from their secret place and headed back towards the playground. Several muggles were there. Some were busy spinning around on the merry-go-round while others swung on nearby swing sets. There was a particular kid with dark auburn hair that held a foot ball in his hand. He was playing catch with a boy who Dumbledore could only assume was his younger brother. The younger one had just tossed the ball high in the air when the other boy had caught it and noticed the presence of the two friends._

 _He smirked._

 _"Hey Tim. Watch this." he said. He placed the ball on the ground before glancing around, looking out for any signs of danger. When he saw that there were no grown-ups around, he kicked the ball with as much force as he could towards Severus. It hit him square on the head._

 _Severus, not expecting the violent action, stumbled backwards. He clutched his head. "W-wha?" he groaned. He looked to where the ball had came from. He gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Stupid muggles." he hissed._

 _Lily frowned at the terminology but said nothing. What they had done was_ _wrong anyway._

 _She turned to see the two boys laughing at their antics. "Hey!" she yelled. "That wasn't funny, you toad heads! Stop laughing!"_

 _The older boy kept on cackling, ignoring Lily's disapproval. "Oh - ha- yeah -uh? And what are you gonna do about it, redhead, if we don't?"_

 _Lily clenched her fists at her sides and huffed. She faced Severus. "Don't pay any attention to them Sev. They aren't worth your time."_

 _He nodded and weakly smiled, putting on the misleading impression that he agreed with her, but Albus could tell that the potions professor was lying. His false smile was easy to detect through the knowing headmaster's eyes. Lily, however, was oblivious to it._

 _As soon as Lily left the park, Severus returned his focus on the opposing boys who had just retrieved their foot ball. His expression became dark. It was a look filled with much loathe and distrust. This wasn't the first time the boy had played a dirty trick on him. The bee stings on his upper right leg was a painful reminder of that. Severus never enjoyed football. He thought it was pointless and not worthy of his effort. But today he would make the exception._

 _Unbeknownst to Severus, Lily had decided to ask him if he wanted to walk home with her and had came back. She was now studying the situation from afar. She had seen his intense expression; whatever nice side Severus had shown her, she realized, was reserved for her eyes only; this Severus was obviously bent on revenge._

 _The brothers were only talking now, their previous joke momentarily forgotten. The foot ball was resting beside Tim's feet. Severus thought hard and pushed all of his magic forward. The next thing anybody knew, the older boy was falling flat on his face. "Gah!"_

 _Tim blinked at his brother. What had happened?_

 _"Hey John, you ok-" But John cut him off, feeling furious and betrayed._

 _"Shut it you little twit! You think it's funny to trip me?" John quickly got to his feet. He grabbed a fistful of his brother's shirt. "I'll show you- Ow!"_

 _Something had struck him on the side of his head. He looked around. The soccer ball?_

 _"W-what? H-how did you do that when you're over th-"_

 _The ball hit Johnny again. But this time, hard enough to make him black out._

 _Tim's eyes grew large. The soccer ball was - was flying! And it was aiming for him next!_

 _"Ah!" he screamed. The eight year old tried to duck but it was useless; the ball collided with his bottom and he fell to the ground. He began to cry. "Mummy! Mummy!" he wailed._

 _Severus snickered at the unfolding events. He looked pretty smug until he noticed a little girl gaping at him from a seesaw. He shot her an expression that Dumbledore identified as the prerequisite to the infamous look Snape would later give his students whenever he wanted them to be silent._

 _The girl understood the message rather quickly. She made a zipping motion over her lips before running over to play on the slide._

 _Lily giggled. She stepped from behind the parked car that was her hiding spot and strolled to Sev. He appeared alarmed when his eyes met with hers. He looked like he wanted to be swallowed by the earth._

 _"Lily? I thought you went home." he said hesitantly. He was fearful of her reaction after witnessing her anger when he last used his magic on a muggle; her sister. But to his surprise, Lily took his hand. "Let's go Sev. I want you to walk me home."_

 _This was when Albus chose to drift from the memory. It was interesting to see the interactions of his greatest agent, but it was not important. He needed to get back on task._

 _A swirl of black and gold fog wound itself around the image, causing the playground to become an odd entanglement of sorts, before the scene finally shifted and Dumbledore was standing outside of the Evans' household. He glanced for Lily but could not find her._

 _He quirked up an eyebrow. This was odd and...slightly alarming. The Pensieve never showed a memory without its host. What was going on?_

 _Keeping this matter in mind for later analysis, like a ghost, Dumbledore stepped through the front door of Lily's childhood home. It was a two story house, he realized, decorated with many pictures of Lily's relatives and previous family achievements. A fireplace was lit and not far from it was a bookshelf containing literature of all genres. On the top of the said shelf were the games Twister and Battleship. He knew from the lingering imprints of Lily's memory that she and Severus had played them earlier that evening._

 _The vague smell of dinner suddenly drew his attention. He inhaled deeply; ah, yes. The feast certainly had been delicious. He could still taste it on his tongue, just as Lily had._

 _He followed the scent and was in turn led to the kitchen, where Mr. and Mrs. Evans were conversing. Never personally getting the chance to meet them, Dumbledore took in both parents' appearances. Mrs. Evans was a plump woman with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. Her facial structure was what earned Lily her beautiful features, he noted, but it was from Mr. Evans that she inherited her striking green eyes and fiery red locks. Although he couldn't remember how Mrs. Evans died, he remembered that they were both deceased by the time Harry was born. He believed Mr. Evans had gotten pneumonia._

 _Mr. Evans was sitting at the kitchen table with the London Times in his hand. It was turned to the weather section. Mrs. Evans was leaning against the stove and sipping coffee from a mug. Left overs had already been thrown away or packed into the refrigerator. "Lial, I am truly worried for that boy. I want to call the authorities. I don't believe for one second that he got that bruise from merely falling. He's only putting on a tough show."_

 _Mr. Evans nodded in agreement. "I know Patty. Maybe we could get somebody to check the place out, but Severus needs to be willing to comply if we want the police to get involved. He won't even tell us where he lives. If he keeps covering for his parents, he might not be able to get the help he needs."_

 _"And how do you suppose we get him to listen then? I think he's gotten use to the treatment! I read somewhere that kids like him tend to accept the abuse as a part of their everyday lives. Do you know how terrible that is Lial? To know that a child doesn't know the difference? It's horrific!"_

 _"Yes, it is Patty."_

 _"Then what do we do if he sees it that way? What if he views our help as pity? I don't want him to get the wrong idea..."_

 _"I don't know Pat. I honestly don't know."_

 _They both then sighed, fretting over the future of their daughter's new friend._

 _They were good folks. Anyone, and most certainly Dumbledore, could see that. It was sad to know they wouldn't live much longer in this world._

 _He tipped his head at them before dismissing himself to venture up the stairs._

 _When he reached the top, he could hear someone talking from the first door on his left. Curious, he peered through._

 _It was Petunia Evans. The last time he had seen her was several years ago when he was checking up on Harry. She had been complaining then; she was complaining now. She had yet to write her letter to him, begging to join Hogwarts despite her nasty attitude towards Lily for being a "freak". She wouldn't do that until much later, after Lily received her invitation to join the school of witchcraft and wizardry._

 _He watched in partial amusement as she stared harshly at a fork. She was wanting it to move like it had for Lily the week before._

 _"Ugh! Blast it! Why won't you move?!" she griped. She slammed her hand against the dresser where the fork laid. The corners of Dumbledore's lips turned downwards. If she wasn't more careful, she'd accidentally stab herself. She rested her elbow next to the silverware and thought hard, trying to conjure up another tactic that might awaken her "magical prowess"._

 _Finally coming up with something, she got up off her knees and stood up. She shrugged her shoulders back and then took a deep breath, visibly calming herself. She glanced into the mirror for reassurance. "I can do this. I just have to concentrate. Concentrate, Petunia."_

 _She placed her hands out in front of her and spread her feet apart. She appeared to be getting ready to perform a martial arts technique rather than a use of unpracticed magic. She stood in her stance for a minute. Nothing. Two minutes. Nothing. Three minutes. Zilch. She gave up._

 _By this time, her face had turned into a shade of purple. She kicked the bed in a fierce manner and grabbed her pillow. She screamed into the fluffy cushion. That was when her bedroom light decided to flicker. She abruptly paused her screaming and stared at the ceiling where the dying light swung. A victorious smile stretched across her face. She stuffed her head back into the pillow and began screaming again._ _Albus didn't need to see anymore. He exited the room swiftly. The girl wasn't going to accomplish anything anytime soon. Especially not like_ that _. Coincidences and magic were not the same thing after all._

 _He started to approach what he believed to be Lily's room on the right side of the corridor. However, he soon stopped in his tracks. The tiny hairs on the nape of his neck suddenly stood on end and goosebumps erected all over his arms and face. He stepped back from her door instantly. Someone or something was in there with Lily. And what he couldn't fathom was why **he** was having a physical reaction from the memory. _

_Recollecting himself, he hurriedly went to barge in the room but soon discovered that whatever it was would not allow him entrance. He futilely attempted again, only to be blown back by an invisible force. He could sense a presence manifesting itself inside the hallway. Now it was with him._

 _This presence was not evil, but it didn't feel nice either; it seemed rather upset. Upset that he was interfering? But this was only a memory; how could it be aware that he was there? Whatever it was, Dumbledore had a feeling it was a formidable foe to his cause. Was it a spirit? An unknown kind of dementor? He was not sure. Never had he encountered such a thing in his life._

 _He suddenly heard Lily screaming from the other side of the door. Several voices, which he recognized to be James, Remus, Petunia, and Severus, began to echo from inside the bedroom._

 _He lifted his wand to where he believed the mysterious thing to be. "Expecto Patronum!" he yelled._

 _Yet to his astonishment, his wispy phoenix never came out of his wand. He glared. "Who are you? Show yourself!" The being did not comply to his demands. Instead, everything turned black and with a puff of fog, Dumbledore was once again viewing the memory of Snape and Lily laying beneath the willow tree._

 _He immediately dismissed the memory and returned to Lily's house. Only to have the same thing occur again and again. He even tried watching the memory before Lily's unfortunate time incident happened; he managed to take two steps into the room before she was about to get dressed, when the unknown force shoved him back into the playground again. Just what was he missing?_

 _After the fifth attempt, Dumbledore decided he would have to continue another day. The first day of class started tomorrow and he could not afford to miss a single second of it. But he would come back to this. That much was guaranteed._

 _He now needed to focus on his second troubling matter; what to do with Lily?_

* * *

Lily yawned. Pensieves must have took forever to look through.

The hand clock above the headmaster's desk read 10:30 pm. Include the time in which she originally left her house, and Lily was sure it would be after one in the morning. In short, it was way past her bedtime.

She rubbed her eyes and stretched. She glanced over at the elderly man who still had his head buried in the dish. She sighed. Maybe she should take a nap? He wouldn't mind, would he? He had to have known she was going to get tired at some point.

She positioned herself horizontally on the chair and put her arms behind her head. Not the best of pillows but it would suffice. She closed her eyes. However, not even two minutes later did they flutter back open. Nope, this wasn't going to work. She was uncomfortable and she was in unfamiliar territory. Not a good combination for someone trying to sleep.

She stood up. Agitation and drainage from today's events caught up to her and she began to quietly sob. She felt hopeless and bothered. She wanted her mummy. She wanted her daddy. She even wanted Tuney. A whimper escaped her lips as snot began to dribble down her nose. She wiped the mucus away with the cuff of her sleeve.

"You shouldn't cry, missy. You'll get back home eventually." came a familiar voice. Her head shot up. It was the hat.

"H-hi." she said, embarrassed that she had been caught crying.

"Hello. Waiting for Dumbledore to return, I see. He should be coming back anytime now. Don't worry Lily. He will give you a cozy place to rest." he assured her.

She dried the few tears remaining on her cheeks. "Really? Where will I stay?"

He thought for a second. "Hm, well probably not in the dormitories. At least, not for tonight. Perhaps in one of his many bedrooms. They're located all over the school, you know. There are many secret passageways and tunnels that even his most trusted faculty have no clue about."

"And you? How come you know about them?" she inquired. All sadness was gone. Her curiosity had been ignited. The hat had accomplished his goal.

"Because I've been around since the beginning of this school, silly girl! Ask me any question and I shall know the answer. I once belonged to Godric Gryffindor himself and he and the other founders of this school gave me their intelligences so I could decipher and read any person's mind who wears me. No student that has ever attended Hogwarts has not worn me; I am the one who determines their house."

Excited now, Lily leaned in and said, "Do you think you could get Mr. Dumbledore to let me wear you? He said earlier that I wasn't going to be sorted, but maybe if you-"

"You do not need to be sorted for you have already been sorted, Lily Julia Evans! I never forget a mind such as yours. A unique individual you were with many talented gifts. I already know where Dumbledore shall place you once he returns. And it will not be where I originally put you."

Lily became confused at this. "What? What do you mean?"

But he didn't seem to hear her question.

"Hmm. Yes, yes. Safe does he need you, so safe you will be. You are not quite the same as you were when you first wore me, Lily Evans. You are still young and innocent. You have bravery, no doubt. But you also have a compassionate side that is like no other. You are ferociously loyal to whatever or whomever you believe in and you will protect your friends and family until your last dying breath. Love comes first above all. The light and the good is what you seek. You turn away from darkness and have a low tolerance for it, yet despite this, you are willing to have patience for your dear friend Severus. This house will supply you with what you need while also keeping you as ambiguous as necessary to keep you out of harm's reach. Even when I originally placed you, I had to take a moment to ponder between this house and your other."

Lily practically leaped onto the hat. The anticipation for the answer was killing her! She pressed her nose against its shabby cloth. "What house am I then?! What house?! Wait, what are the houses? What's their names? Oh! Are they - "

And that was the moment Dumbledore decided to make his reappearance.

Lily, still elated, continued to try and prod the hat, but it seemed to have suddenly fallen asleep, and was now snoring lightly away.

She pouted. "Lily?" Dumbledore questioned. She slunk from the hat. "Yes sir?"

He studied her greatly. "Has there been anything else you remember about your dream since I've been gone?"

She thought long and hard. She finally shook her head. "No sir."

He slightly grimaced but didn't look all that surprised by her answer. He observed her close proximity to the shelf behind his desk. "I see you were consulting with the Sorting Hat?"

"Y...yes. Am I not allowed to sir?" she asked.

"No, you can. But please humor me; what did he say?" He seemed to measure her next words carefully.

"He said I was kind and loyal. But he wouldn't tell me what house I was in. Does that usually happen sir?"

The headmaster was relieved at her words. He shook his head. "Not most of the time, but there have been a few cases where it has happened."

"Oh." she stated.

She observed that he was exhausted. "Are you okay sir?"

"Yes, Lily. I am fine. Thank you." He paused to glance at the time. "But I need to be getting you in bed! We both have longs days ahead of us. I promise to get you back home Lily, but until then, I will have to insist that you stay here at Hogwarts. There is a room adjacent to mine higher up in this tower. You will reside there until I have prepared other sleeping arrangements for you. I will have a house elf escort you there now. His name is Popper. He will be your personal assistant from now on."

Lily's jaw dropped. "You have elves here? I didn't know elves exist!"

Dumbledore let out another one of his warm chuckles. "There are many things you have yet to know about this world, Lily. And Hogwarts will be honored to unveil it to you as it has for thousands of other students in the last few centuries."

Lily smiled before yawning a second time that night. Shortly thereafter, a house elf popped up and led her to where Dumbledore had promised there to be a room. The girl was soon out of the robe the older girl had given her that night and fell fast asleep on the queen sized bed.

Dumbledore would have went to bed himself. Except, there were two more things he needed to do.

 **A/N: Sorry for any errors in this! It is getting closer to midnight and I have been working on this for the last 4 to 6 hours straight! I made a promise to myself that I HAD to publish this chapter by Christmas, REGARDLESS! If Dumbledore feels OOC, I deeply apologize. Starting next month, I'll finally be able to read the series personally myself so then I can definitely get a feel for the characters and their personalities. Just hold on people! January is right around the corner from us! As always, please comment and review. It really encourages me to write and I love seeing feedback from my readers. :)**


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